Newcomer to the area for 2018 as Drax liveried 60066 brings 6H02 Warrington Arpley-Tunstead empty BLI hoppers through Chinley.

Tags:   Chinley 6H02 60066

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The majority of East Cheshire is covered with a layer of cloud while West Cheshire basks in the evening sunshine as the former John Logie Baird brings 6F05 Tunstead-Lostock Works up grade over the M6 motorway towards Plumley.

The hoppers are unloaded at Lostock Works before the empty train runs to Warrington Arpley yard to stable until next required. At which point it will run empty to Tunstead and the process will be repeated. Previously a solid 7 day runner, it tends to be a bit more sporadic these days.

Tags:   6F05 60066 DB Cargo Tunstead Lostock Plumley BLI Drax Biomass

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Drax liveried 60066 continues its near unbroken stint on the Tunstead-Lostock BLI hoppers, seen here dodging the shadows at Mobberley with 6F05 Tunstead-Lostock.

Only a couple of days have gone by since the beginning of September where it hasn’t been on the circuit, presumably exams and such are done during the layover at Warrington or Peak Forest.

Word elsewhere is the 60s are back in favour at DB and an enlarged fleet are heading south for Mendip traffic replacing the 59/2s. What effect, if any, this will have on this working remains to be seen.

Tags:   Tunstead Lostock Tug 60066 6F05 Mobberley DB Cargo

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After the second or third cold night of the year, 60066 (still glued to the train - that's almost 2 months!) brings 6H02 0827 Warrington Arpley-Tunstead empty BLI hoppers through Lostock Gralam. The path is slightly earlier on a Monday and the train passed at 0920 as opposed to 1000

Now that the clocks have gone back, Lostock is pretty much the only local spot to me where the sun is at the right angle so apologies for the repeat shots!

Tags:   60066 6H02 Lostock Tunstead Warrington BLI DB DB Cargo

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The doyen of the fleet, although unfortunately rather anonymous these days with the lack of a naming policy for the class.

Running approximately 5 late, 60001 brings 6E54 1034 Kingsbury Oil Sidings-Humber Oil Refinery past Chellaston. The distinctive blue wagons are a feature of the Humber traffic, having been ordered when the contract initially transferred from EWS to Freightliner Heavy Haul in 2001. Amid some controversy and complaints to the ORR by FLHH and GBRF regarding operating the contract at a loss, it went back to DB Schenker in 2009 and has been retained ever since.

These workings from Humber and Lindsey are among the heaviest freight trains currently operated in the UK and with four loaded trains per day (two from LOR and two from HOR) each loading to 31 or 32 100t wagons, that is some serious tonnage being moved every day to try and satisfy the UK's insatiable demand for fuel.

The terminal at Kingsbury is operating to capacity for rail and operates a one in one out basis with any delays to discharging trains resulting in the incoming loaded train being held in Elford Loop until the departing discharged train has left.

Unlike other members of the class which have either had the branding completely removed and replaced with a large DB sticker or the Schenker wording removed, 60001 still carries original branding as applied when it was released from overhaul.

Tags:   DB Cargo DB 60001 6E54 Chellaston Humber Oil Refinery Kingsbury Steadfast Tug Brush Traction

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